Overview & Reviews

Lexus has earned a well-deserved reputation for turning out utterly refined luxury vehicles. The hallmarks of this brand are a quiet, well-crafted cabin, a plush ride and commendable performance from powerful, nearly silent engines.

Lexus began out of a desire by parent company Toyota to create a world-class luxury car brand. Groundwork for Lexus was laid in the mid-1980s, when the company began tapping U.S. focus groups in an attempt to define design concepts best suited for American consumers. Hundreds of prototypes were built and tested on Germany's autobahn and on U.S. roads.

In early 1989, the company unveiled its first two models (which would debut for the 1990 model year) -- the entry-level ES 250 sedan and the flagship LS 400 sedan. The LS 400 was lauded by both journalists and consumers alike for offering a stellar luxury-car experience, with a remarkably silent cabin, superb build quality and a refined V8 engine. At the same time, the LS was priced considerably lower than smaller, lesser-equipped, six-cylinder European rival luxury sedans.

By the early 1990s, the Lexus brand was expanded to other markets, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. More models were added to the lineup, including the SC 300 and SC 400 coupes and the brand's first luxury performance sedan, the GS 300. By decade's end, the company had added SUVs (in the form of the LX 450/LX 470 and RX 300) and had sold more than a million vehicles in the U.S.

The first decade of the 2000s saw Lexus proving itself a trend setter with the launch of many hybrid-powered versions of its vehicles such as the RX 400h and the GS 450h. And by 2011, Lexus even introduced a world-class supercar, the LFA.

In the years since its inception, the Lexus brand has distinguished itself time and again in quality and reliability surveys. The brand's vehicles may not offer as much passion as some Teutonic rivals, but for drivers interested in vehicles that emphasize quality, dependability and comfort, the Lexus marque is hard to beat.

User Reviews:

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  The Land Cruiser of a King - 2009 Lexus LX 570
  By LXplorer57 - November 9 - 2:50 am

  This vehicle is the 4th LX we have purchased. Following in the traditions of our LX 450 and two LX 470s, the LX 570 continues Lexus trend of building quality vehicles that will endure the abuse of winters in Upstate New York, while also continuing to perform at a high level. The ride quality is excellent, with active height control and driver-controlled suspension. The Adaptive Front Lighting System finally makes its appearance on the flagship Lexus SUV, which makes navigating the winding roads of the Adirondacks that much easier in darkness. The styling is reminiscent of the LS 460, carefully lifted and placed upon an LX chassis. You will not be disappointed with this vehicle.

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  Great Value - 2008 Lexus RX 350
  By Quality Ride - November 6 - 5:03 am

  My RX has 2200 miles on it and I must say I am very pleased. I traded a BMW for the RX. The ride is smooth and the handling is good for an SUV. The RX is so quiet, more quiet than my BMW or my wifes Jaguar! The AWD is great. I drove the BMW X5 and MB M Class, and both were $12-$15K more. The Lexus should prove to be a great value!

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  Fantastic, except for the Navigation - 2008 Lexus ES 350
  By L Cayes - November 4 - 10:03 am

  I replaced a Mercedes E320 for the Lexus ES350. The Lexus is one of the smoothest driving cars I have ever owned. It is quiet, rides and handles great and gets great gas mileage.

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  Safety? - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By Paul - November 3 - 1:43 pm

  Got this GX-470 2003 back on 04/2003, fully loaded. Since then visited dealer once for turning signal light bulb (got replaced for free even after warranty expiration). Other than that - only scheduled maintenance. Never drove anything better than this (including x5/3.0-2007) before or after. Few days ago my daughter got hit by Civic into passenger side on a street (35 mph, at the time of impact even slower for both cars). My GX fell on drivers side, total loss. My girl landed on asphalt through drivers window under my GX, covered by broken glass, cut her left arm and elbow. Her passenger bumped her head. All bags in my GX are intact. WHAT IS SAFETY?

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  Uncomfortable ride - 2009 Lexus RX 350
  By Dave Yurkanin - November 2 - 12:10 am

  I purchased a 2009 RX 350 last month. I traded in a 2007 ES 350 for it. I have read so many reviews about how comfortable the RX is, I decided to get one for the extra cargo room when needed. As it turns out, I find it very uncomfortable driving. I had it back to the dealer and they found nothing wrong. Passengers also notice the bumpy ride. This vehicle took the joy out of driving.

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  Great Sporty Luxury Car - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By Stephen - November 1 - 9:00 am

  My friend picked up this car after crashing his Passat. After he took me for a ride, I had to get my own. Although its not as fast as the 250/350 series, I think the exterior is more attractive. I bought mine with a ground effects package, custom rims, and spoiler. Later, I added tinted windows. Overall, especially with the customization, it is a very attractive and sporty car. It is fast with great handling except for occasionally slipping in wet spots. The price was right for a luxury vehicle. The mileage isnt great for a small car. After 30,000 miles, I havent had a single problem.

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  Good Old Reliable Car - 1996 Lexus LS 400
  By Steve - November 1 - 7:53 am

  This LS 400 was available with only 52,000 miles on it. So I bought it and updated to Pioneer Avic-3 with navigation, Bluetooth, backup camera, DVD and put in a new timing belt, water pump and new tires and this car is alive again and start like new. Its already over 11 years old, but still like new since the previous owner only drove 4500 miles per year and kept it garaged.

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  FANTASTIC TRUCK - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By fencemeister1 - November 1 - 2:00 am

  THE ONLY IMPROVEMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE 3RD. ROW SEATS. SHOULD HAVE FOLDED OUT OF THE WAY. I GET OVER 18MPG GOING 80MPH! NOT BAD FOR A BIG V-8 ALL WHEEL DRIVE.......

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  VerySatisfied - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By hleee - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my IS a lit over 2 weeks now. Very satisfied. This is the best entry level luxury sport sedan I can say. You get the most considering the money. I can tell you this caus I was out there for car shopping for 1 year!

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  Beautiful car - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By Wilton - November 1 - 2:00 am

  After driving Accord and Maxima for more than 10 years, I decided to try another companys sedan. After reviewing Camry XLE and new Acura TL, I picked the ES330. Why? It has real luxurious interior, smooth engine and super quite body. I used to think Camry will do the same job like ES. I was wrong! If you want to know why, please go to the next car show and spend some time to compare them.